My Top 5 Favorite Things To Do After The Holidays

After the tree is taken down and the Christmas decorations are put away, I always feel a little bit sad. The happiness of the holidays are over and real life is upon us again. The house can seem a bit bare and gloomy to me after all the bright lights and excitement of the season. So I try to find things to do that will lift my spirits and give me a cheerier outlook. I am also budget conscious so I look for things to do or buy that aren't going to cost me a lot of money. Here are five of my favorites.



1. Buy yourself some flowers. Nothing cheers me up faster than to see a pretty bouquet of flowers sitting on my table or desk. I am so lucky to live in the Seattle area and can go buy my flowers at The Pike Place Market. The flower vendors there have many varieties of gorgeous flowers at an unbelievably inexpensive price. Your local grocery store is also a great place to look for flowers that don't cost a lot.

2. Make yourself a special cup of coffee or tea at home. I love flavored coffees and teas but I don't drink them everyday. Having a chia vanilla spice cup of tea or cinnamon roll flavored coffee is a lovely treat. If I use my french press to brew my coffee, it makes it even more special. Just the aroma of the coffee or tea can make me feel better.

3. Go to the library and browse for a couple of hours. My local library is truly a treasure that I love to take advantage of as often as possible. Books, DVD's, magazines, and more are all available to check out at no cost. I love bringing home a stack of decorating books and cookbooks that inspire me to live better. Lots of us can forget how wonderful a resource the library can be and you can't beat the price.

4. Write a short letter or thank you note to someone you care about. In these days of emails and texting, it is becoming more and more rare to receive an actual hand written piece of mail. It only takes a few minutes and the cost of a stamp to send thanks or to send a note of appreciation or affection to someone you care about. It will give you as much pleasure to send it as it will give the person who receives it. To express gratitude towards others reminds us of who we have to be grateful for.

5. Go to an afternoon movie by yourself. Pick the movie that you want to see, not the one your husband wants to see or maybe not even the latest blockbuster. I started doing this years ago and I love it. Eat your popcorn and junk food and just relax for the next couple of hours. I guarantee you will walk out of the theater feeling lighter and refreshed. I love going to the movies and going in the afternoon when everybody else is busy, always gives me a little thrill.

We all need to do things just for ourselves sometimes, especially if we are feeling a little low or out of sorts. As wonderful as the holidays are, they do take a lot of work and that work usually falls to the wives and mothers in the family.

What do you do to cheer yourself up or as a special something just for you? 

Dino Dan featuring Mighty Machines Prize Pack Giveaway

Dino Dan featuring Might Machines is a cool movie about a boy who has a great imagination to see Dinosaurs everywhere. He helps them as they teach him all about different dinos. I think my son would find this show great. He likes dinos and says "Roaaar" when he sees them in books we read.

We are happy to be able to share a great giveaway for one of our lucky readers!

Dino Dan Synopsis

Follow the adventures of paleontologist-in-training Dan Henderson as he imagines dinosaurs into the real world! Dan uses the scientific method to gather clues and solve mysteries.  NCircle Entertainment Presents Dino Dan, filled with 4 action-packed adventures full of discovery!

Mighty Machines: Ride the Mountain Rails! Synopsis
Work Trail is busy keeping the tracks in good shape.  It takes the power of three engines to get up the sharp includes and over the pass.  These machines are a special hardy breed, made for the mountain rails.


DINO DAN EPISODES DETAIL
He Shoots, He Roars:
Dan figures out how to prove if dinosaurs were warm-blooded from Jim the reptile lizard and his puppet Denny the Dromaeosaurus.

Bones in the Backyard:
When Trek and Tristan find a bone in the schoolyard, Dan uses a paper-mache skull in Mrs. Hahn’s art class to figure out if it came from the Stygimoloch

Active Imagination
When a T-Rex backs down from a Triceratops, Dan learns that the T-Rex is a hunter AND a scavenger!

To Flee or Not to Flee
A substitute teachers encourages Dan and his classmates to engage in dinosaur role-playing)

Dino Dan seems like a great way to get kids to have a fun adventure while learning about Dinosaurs.

Dino Dan Giveaway Prize Pack

GIVEAWAY

One Dino Dan: Dino Trackers DVD     

One Dino Dan theatrical poster

To Enter This Giveaway: (mandatory entry before extra entries)

What is yours or your kids favorite Dinosaur?

*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

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-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
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-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway)

#Win a Dino Dan Prize Pack from @KidtoonFilms at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 01/28


*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts January 6, 2012 and ends on January 28th , 2012 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Rowenta Delta Force 18V Cordless Stick Vacuum Review

Call me crazy but I love to vacuum. Its a simple way to make the house look clean and be clean! My son used to find the sound of the vacuum soothing. He would smile at it and wave to it as I cleaned. But now oh my he is terrified of it. He screams and cries anytime I turn it on, its very sad. I knew I needed to find a new solution to vacuuming without a big bulky corded vacuum.

I was sent a Rowenta Delta Force 18V Cordless Stick Vac to review for the Holidays. This vacuum came in handy so many times! Its cordless (awesome!) light weight and has a small plug in to charge it, no bulky charge base. Its quick and easy to use. We vacuumed up cookie crumbs from Santa and confetti from New Years celebrations with ease. We have short carpet and hardwood flooring for the two settings on the vacuum but I think if we had high pile carpet it might not get the deep dirt as much. Definitely a good maintenance vacuum. I liked the easy empty push button to open the canister and the heavy duty filtration system. I plan to use this vacuum exclusively in my sons room so he can have the least amount of dust possible. My son still is a bit apprehensive about it but does not scream since it seems more like a loud broom to him.

The corner shaped head of the vacuum made it easier to get into corners and edges. Its a bit expensive but the quality is there for the asking price. I have had stick vacuums before and none compare to power of this one. I do not think it could replace a big vacuum in a large house especially when you have kids and pets like I do but its great for maintenance and quick clean ups. I am happy to not have to drag out our big vacuum and the cord all over the house when I plan to do regular vacuuming.


Rowenta Delta Force cordless rechargeable stick vacuum runs for up to 40 minutes on a single charge. Two settings adjust for hard floors and carpeting, and the unique swivel-triangle head edges into corners and along walls with precision.

• Cordless rechargeable stick vacuum runs for up to 40 minutes on a single charge.
• Bagless cyclonic technology.
• Ideal for hard floors, area rugs and low- to medium-pile carpet.
• Triangular motorized suction head swivels to reach into corners and awkward spaces.
• Lightweight (7.5 lb.).
• Slim profile for easy storage in pantry or closet.
• Charger plugs directly into self-standing unit; no external charging stand. 16-hour charge time.

*I was not paid or compensated for this post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine. I was provided the product pictured to review for this post by the Company / PR Company.

She's HERE!!

Miss Ashley and I!!!

We recently welcomed a little girl into our family. She has actually been here for a little over 2 weeks but am just now getting to blogging about her. Recovery is going slower than I expected and having 3 kids is a big adjustment, but life is good!!!! This was my 3rd C-section and my body is not feeling as great as I would like it to. Still having some pain, and some swelling but I am on my way to being the "Super Mom" I once was!

When I thought about welcoming a new baby into our lives, honestly I was nervous and expected it to be totally crazy. I mean Baby L is still just a little baby himself at almost 18 months, I was worried how he would react. I have to say we have been pleasantly surprised, he has been so lovable and great. Both of the boys have been loving on their sister and treat her like a princess!! Having a girl has changed my husband as well, he is already protective of her and thinks the world revolves around his baby girl. It is so sweet :) I love having a girl and think about all of the great things we can do as she grows, and I can't help but smile when I do. My sister and I have great memories of shopping with my Mom, girl scouts, barbies, dolls and much more!! I look forward to our journey as a family of 5 and can't wait to see what the future holds in 2012. This girl has captured our hearts and we love her more than I can express :)

P.S. I think the name Baby L does not fit our 18 month old, he is not the baby anymore!!

Giraffe Dreams

My son ADORES Giraffes! I am not sure what it is about them or why he picked Giraffes as his favorite animal but he loves them. In books, in stores and on TV if he sees one he goes crazy with joy. His stuffed giraffe "Giafe" is his best friend. He goes everywhere with him. He gets very upset if we do not take him with us. He has had him since his first birthday and now has two giraffes since Nana bought him another one for his second birthday. He has to sleep with both giraffes with him. Thankfully now that there are two of them I can give him "Geoffrey" giraffe when "Giafe" is in the washing machine. It was epic melt downs when his first giraffe would go into the washer but now he second giraffe keeps him company.

While we were at the mall the other day we walked by the Hallmark store to see what after Christmas deals they had. When my son started to squeal and yell Giraffe! He spotted the biggest toy giraffe we have ever seen. Sadly it was priced around $100. But he still loved seeing it and oh how I wish he could have one! When we got home we played giraffe battles where he likes to have me be Geoffrey and he Giafe and we make them wrestle, its hilarious!

Happy New Year 2012!

Happy New Year everyone! I cannot believe its 2012. I had a plan to write what I learned this year and my goals for myself, my family life and my blog. But then New Years Eve morning we took our son to the park to play and I changed my mind. It was a beautiful sunny day in Cali to go to the park and there were other families playing and having fun. My son adores dogs and if he sees one at the park he always wants to go pet it. Of course I always ask first since I do not want him to try to pet an unfriendly dog. This time there was an old couple and their dogs walking pass the slide area. My son ran over to them saying "Dog Dog" The old man stopped and after letting us know it was ok to pet the dog he just smiled away seeing my son gently pet the dog. The mans wife kept walking towards the dog area but the old man stayed to let my son pet the dog to his hearts content. I would guess the old man was at least in his late 70s maybe early 80s and he talked moved very slowly.

As we were standing there he put out his hand out towards us and quietly said "This world would be a great place......(then he paused to catch his breath).....if everyone would just do the right thing" Then he smiled and said he had to "go back to the boss" referring to catching up to his wife who was on the other side of the park. This left my husband and I a bit baffled and touched by his words. It seemed like such a simple thing but so complex at the same time. I thought to myself that will be my motto for 2012 to just do the right thing, what I feel is right in my heart. So many versions in the world of what is "the right thing" is what seems to make it hard for it to work. But I am going to live this year to do my best to do the right thing for my family, myself and my blog.

We will of course be watching the Rose Parade in the morning on TV like Nana mentioned in her New Years post and we will eat Panda Express like we do every year! We are now making a new tradition of taking our son to the park to play on New Years Eve morning. We also take a picture of my son by the TV as the ball drops in Time Square, its cheesy but its as close as we get to being there.

Happy New Year 2012 everyone I hope this year will be the year I find a way to make blogging a full time job for myself, Nana and Sam, and for Meg to work for us part time. Keeping all the women in our family connected through the blog is what brings me an unmeasurable joy. Thank You to my family for the support in keeping this blog going and a Thank You to all of our readers who make our blog as great as it is!

It Wouldn't Be New Years If We Didn't Watch The Rose Parade

On the morning of January 1st of every year, I know exactly where I will be. I will be sitting down watching the Rose Parade on TV and loving every second of it. I grew up in the Los Angeles/Pasadena area so the Parade and all of it's elaborate preparations were just a fact of life. It wasn't until I was older that I realized this was an event that was watched and loved by millions of people all around the world. Every New Year's Eve when I was a teenager I would beg my parents to let me spend the night on Colorado Blvd. which is the main Parade route we all see on TV. Talk about a party! Every year they said no. I have only recently stopped carrying a grudge about this.

Have you ever gone to the Rose Parade? It truly is a once in a lifetime, very special experience. People come from all over the country to see the floats, the marching bands and all of those beautiful horses and their riders. The flowers on the floats are so stunningly beautiful they almost seem unreal. Amazingly, every flower, seed, or decoration used must be real or natural. There are not many people who can say they have decorated a float in the Rose Parade. But my daughter Sam did when she was in eighth grade with her Drill Team. It was quite an honor to do this and she came home dirty, covered in glue and seeds, but extremely happy. Each year she never fails to mention that she is the only one in the family who holds this honor. A couple of years later Laura was on the Drill Team, but the team wasn't involved with the decorating that year. From the Parade's humble beginning back in 1890 with decorated carriages and games to play, we have all come to love and appreciate the Tournament Of Roses Parade. Whether you are lucky enough to be in sunny Pasadena to see it in person or watching it on TV, our New Year's Day would not be the same without it. Happy New Year everybody!

Thomas & Friends Rescue on the Rails DVD and Thomas & Friends Adventure on the Tracks 6-DVD Set Movie Review

 Trains and Firefighters how cool is that! A newly released Thomas and Friends Rescue on the Rails DVD is full of firefighting action with the fire engine Flynn. Flynn was a new character to us when we saw him in "Day of the Diesels", still one of my son's favorite Thomas movies. It was great to see Flynn back in action saving the day on the Island of Sodor.

DVD SYNOPSIS
Ready to Rescue! The Sodor Search and Rescue Team is racing to the rescue -- Bertie's stuck on Shake Shake Bridge, Gordon's derailed and Thomas' firebox is on fire! In these exciting episodes, your favorite engines brave the rails to rescue their friends. Discover that being heroic is more than having speed and strength; it's about teamwork and a big heart – which puts every Really Useful Engine on the right track.
Episodes include:

• “Fiery Flynn”
• “James to the Rescue”
• “Edward the Hero”
• “Stop That Bus!”

DVD BONUS FEATURES
Who's Pulling Into The Station? Game
“Thomas, You're The Leader” Karaoke Music Video

This Thomas & Friends Adventure on the Tracks 6-DVD Set is great! My son loves putting the DVDs in the player and telling me "Okay Go" so I can push play. Sometimes when he says it I like to be ready with the remote so he thinks he made it work. Having 6 new DVDs from this Thomas set made is day! He is more and more of a Choo Choo aka Thomas and Friends fan with each DVD he sees. I love that he enjoys trains and hearing him say Choo Choo is beyond sweet!

DVDS INCLUDE:
Thomas & Friends: Percy's Ghostly Trick & Other Thomas Stories
Discover laughs and surprises around every bend! Thomas thinks he's seen a ghost, Percy puffs into a giant pile of hay, Oliver encounters some troublesome trucks and Donald and Douglas rescue a mischievous engine.
Bonus Features:

• Character Gallery
• Sing-Along Song: Thomas' Anthem
• Bonus DVD Game: Who Am I?

Thomas & Friends: Thomas and the Jet Engine & Other Adventures
Always expect the unexpected on the Island of Sodor! Thomas gets a surprising push from a jet engine, Percy lets his imagination run away with him, Harold makes a horse fly and Salty and Fergus prove they're useful on and off the tracks.
Bonus Features:

• Sing Along Song: Boo! Boo! Choo Choo
• Thomas Gallery
• 3 Bonus DVD Games: Counting Corner, What Came First? and Memory Madness

Thomas & Friends: Rusty To The Rescue
Thomas and his friends discover that fun and excitement never end! Join in the adventure as little Rusty sets off where only big, brave diesels dare to go and Duke gets rescued and reunited with Stuart and Falcon.
Bonus Features:

• Sing-Along Song: Gone Fishing
• Sodor Memories
• Game and Activity Sheets

Thomas & Friends: Percy Saves The Day
Learn the importance of listening to others when Thomas ignores Percy's wobbly track warning, Rusty sets off to save a reckless Duncan and Fergus proves himself to be really useful.
Bonus Features:

• Read Along Story: Thomas and Percy and the Dragon
• Sing Along Song: There Once Was An Engine Who Ran Away
• Bonus DVD Game: Pick that Sound
• 2 DVD-Rom Games: Percy's Maze Adventure and Counting Fun

Thomas & Friends: Thomas Comes To Breakfast & Other Thomas Adventures
Everyone learns important lessons about good behavior when Thomas shows off a little too much, Diesel causes trouble between the other engines and Gordon finds out that sabotage can backfire.
Bonus Features:

• Read Along Story: Thomas and the Naughty Diesel
• Sing Along Song: Little Engines
• DVD Bonus Game: James' Connects the Dots Fun

Thomas & Friends: Steamies vs. Diesels
Find out how just how much the Steamies and Diesels have in common when they put aside their differences and start working together to keep Sir Topham Hatt's railway running smoothly.
Bonus Features:

• Fun and Games
• Pick a Story

Website: www.thomasandfriends.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thomasandfriends
Twitter: @TrueBlueEngine



*I was not paid or compensated for this post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine and may vary from other opinions. I was provided for free a copy for my review. 

The Looney Tunes Show Season 1 Volume 2 DVD Review

Bugs Bunny and his friends are classic cartoon characters. I remember watching it as a kid. They are short but funny clips that are fun to watch even as an adult. Its always fun to share characters like Daffy, Tweety and Taz with my son. He can be a Tweety one minute and a Taz the next lol. One of my favorite episodes on this DVD is Devil Dog where Bugs befriends Taz and scares Daffy! Too cute.



Movie Summary:
This half-hour animated comedy series starring Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck is no longer confined to 7-minute shorts. Bugs and Daffy are out of the woods and living in the suburbs among such colorful neighbors as Yosemite Sam, Granny, Tweety and Sylvester. In addition to each episode’s main story, The Looney Tunes Show also features “cartoons within a cartoon.” The Tasmanian Devil, Speedy Gonzales, Marvin the Martian and other classic characters sing original songs in two-minute music videos called Merrie Melodies . The legendary Looney Tunes cartoons are getting a 21st century relaunch and a CGI overhaul for a new generation.

You can buy The Looney Tunes Show Season 1 Volume 2 on DVD from the WBShop online.




*I was not paid or compensated for this post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine and may vary from other opinions. I was provided for free a copy for my review.

Still Just a Baby

My son is now 2 but still very much a baby. He has the attitude of a teenager but still wants his baby stuff out. I was cleaning out his closet, its one of my to do before the New Year items on my long list, and his baby seat was in there. When he saw it he was so happy and insisted I let him sit in it. He wanted me to install the bar with the animals on it and he crawled in with his two stuffed giraffes and sighed. It was so sweet. He sat in there for over an hour without moving, for my son thats amazing since he is such a busy bee. He barely fits in it but he loves it just as much as he did when he was a baby. Its hard to believe he is 2 already but he is still just a baby.